


The Housekeeper

by wintryEthereal



Category: Creepypasta - Fandom
Genre: Don't spoil the plot for others, F/M, Goes from 100 to 0 real quick, Thank you for taking your time to read this, That ain't cool kid behaviour, Ya'll ain't ready for this serious fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:29:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24067378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wintryEthereal/pseuds/wintryEthereal
Summary: Creepypasta has a bad reputation for the same reasons any viral fandom does: crazy, dumb teenagers. 2020 gave these icons a surprise guest to shake up their routines. Turns out Slenderman was expecting them. (ALSO POSTED ON WATTPAD BY AUTHOR)
Relationships: Slender Man/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 8





	The Housekeeper

**Author's Note:**

> So chapter 1 has 10.4k+ (May 7, 2020,10:30 PM: 11.057k [Wattpad said .025 but OK :D] after revision #1) words. What can I say? The more I wrote, the more I realized I couldn't just end it after a scene separator. I've been sitting on this idea with my OCs for four years, and I am finally confident enough with the general plot and my skills to try it. It's gonna be fun for all of us! 
> 
> Also, just because Natalie is in the tags doesn't mean I was kind to her. I wasn't kind to two other female characters known to the fandom, either. OK, in hindsight, I had mercy on Natalie. Her fate was ironic, and during my recent brainstorming I wanted to have the thing as a legitimate plot device. After remembering what Smile dog said in a prior scene, I realized she fit the bill! Ironically! Don't yell about it in the comments. Read the damn chapter and you'll know how she's doing. ^^
> 
> The backstories of the pastas are extended and improved upon realistically and in connection to the thing and some other things because I've always wanted to make the fandom proud. I haven't read a pasta in six years, but I still love it because of how much influence it's had on horror and pop culture. Horror is just a fun way to tell a story, I've always loved the different ways you can run with a concept. I swear to fucking God that I won't ruin this one. :D
> 
> Expect a slow burner relationship, some good, old fashioned (?) friendship, jump scares being described in text form (exciting!), and a lot of 'Time of X' chapter titles. Because of the thing. Yeah. There's probably more to expect, but most of the plot is actually improvised (I didn't lie about having the idea for four years. It just took me four years to figure out a good way to write the idea.), and the less you know the better, so that should be MORE than enough. I pray to God I won't need more Notes. 
> 
> Have fun, kids! :D
> 
> -wintryEthereal (Faith)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May 7, 2020, 10:27 PM: I have edited this document twice now. I originally published this with 10.4k+ words. It now has 11.057k (Wattpad said .025 but OK) words. Hell yeah. I found solutions to continuation errors, made a few scenes and dialogue lines more complete, and corrected (probably) all of the typos! :D However, if you find a :" instead of ." or any other happy little accidents, let me know! I found that :" in my proofread but can't find it again (and I need to take my meds so I can sleep), whoops. If I find it before you, this notice will disappear like a mother fucking ghost! Fun!

**T** he sunset was bright hued colours of fire as the car came to a halt two feet away from the wall left of the front door. "Shit, Daniel! You could've killed us!" Snapped the female who sat in the middle of the back seat.

The driver turned in his seat and sneered. "Shut up, Lu Anne. We would've been fine." Daniel turned away and hastily unbuckled and snatched the keys out of the ignition. He shoved them in the pocket of his jeans. "Just the car would've gotten a little hurt."

Kodey, in the passenger's seat, and Audrea who was behind him, unbuckled their own seat belts. They, Lu Anne and Joyce stared at Daniel like he was holding them hostage at gun point. "I know what I'm doing." Daniel mumbled, and left his friends in the car, slamming the door behind him. Kodey sighed and exited the vehicle, closing the door. He looked inside the car and watched the girls leave, Audrea first, next to him. Joyce closed the door politely.

Daniel was behind the car, the trunk open. He lifted a Jerry can with his left hand and shut the door, then hurried past his friends who stood beside the car. "Come on." Daniel said. The others followed him to the front door of the house.

Its white paneling was in rough shape, water stains and tears in many places. Its window sills and front door were white too, its handle silver. The roof was black and peeling away, old leaves scattered about its surface. Daniel tried the door. "Locked." He scoffed and looked up the gravel driveway they had come from. "Of course."

"Do you think the ghost will let us in, if we ask nicely?" Lu Anne asked.

"What?" Daniel made a face. "There is no ghost, here."

"Then what are we gonna do, break a window?" Kodey inquired.

"No, we'll go around back and try getting in there." Daniel stormed off, taking the shorter route to the right of the door. Kodey, Audrea, Lu Anne and Joyce followed as quick as they could. The back door was a bit farther to the right, when the friends faced the wall, than the front door. Daniel tried it, and the door opened the small amount Daniel let it.

He huffed and looked back at his friends. "Bingo." He entered the house, Kodey and Lu Anne going in, then Audrea and Joyce. Joyce had almost closed the door when Daniel barked, "No! Keep it open, Joyce. Nice and wide."

"OK." She replied, shrugging and walking the door over to the wall on its right. The friends walked to the bedroom to the left and Daniel poured gasoline on the floor. Joyce eyed the threats scrawled on the white walls. _'KIDNAPPER'_ , _'MURDERER'_ and _'DEVIL'_ were repeated on every wall in sight. The most frequent question was _'WHERE IS DOROTHEA MOORE'_ , and the year beneath it was 1936.

Joyce heard Lu Anne and Audrea scream and heard a door slam. Kodey audibly shuddered. "Is everything OK?" Asked Daniel.

"Yeah! Just got spooked." Answered Audrea. Forty names and nineteen timestamps surrounded Dorothea Moore, some only stating the year and others the exact date. The most recent was _'VANESSA WILLOWS, JUNE 19, 2008'_.

Letters were hung on the walls with thumbtacks. Needles were huddled against parts of the trim. The kitchen counters, cupboards and drawers torn up and stained with water and burns. The black leather couch and love seat behind the kitchen were ripped, and the cheap, black wooden coffee table had broken legs. In the background of the living room pieces was a chipped dining table with six broken chairs that were a shade of polished wood that clashed with the flooring.

"Joyce!" Called Audrea from the left hallway. "I thought you wanted to explore with us!"

"I did!" Joyce answered, walking to her friends. "The room on this side is empty, right?"

"No, there was a box in there. We went _'nope'_ and slammed the door when we saw it fucking open and something white start to come out."

Joyce raised an eyebrow. "You didn't stop to see what was inside?"

Audrea wheezed. "I thought you would have done the smart thing, like us?"

Joyce threw up her arms, "OK, yeah," She dropped them, slapping her upper thighs. "I would have ran, too. But I'd also have been curious and would've stuck around to see what it was."

"And here I thought you were the one with insight." Audrea laughed.

"Do you mind if I go back in and see if the box is still there?"

"Nope!" Audrea scurried away from the door to loiter in the kitchen. Lu Anne, Kodey and Daniel laughed.

Daniel said, "I'll be right back. Just gotta put this back in the car."

"OK." Kodey replied, then Daniel departed to the outdoors.

"Do you think that N64 is still here?" Lu Anne asked her friends.

"I think so." Joyce answered.

"There's no way." Kodey commented.

"Yeah, no." Said Audrea. "Someone's probably took off with it and destroyed it, by now."

"What are you gonna do if it's still there, huh?" Joyce questioned. "Slam the door and run, like you did with that mysterious box in the master bedroom?"

"Uh, yeah." Audrea said. "Exactly that."

Kodey asked, "You really think we're gonna curse ourselves by setting fire to this place, don't you, Joyce?"

"Yeah, I really do." She nodded. "Way too many people have disappeared in this area and house for the culprit to be human. I stand by my theory that this house isn't haunted but is the territory of an internet urban legend."

"Slenderman, right?" Kodey tipped his head.

"Yeah, him."

"You don't have a fetish of him we don't know about, right?" Lu Anne said, chuckling.

"No, I don't." Joyce responded. Her friends stifled laughter and didn't maintain eye contact with her. "You guys don't believe me, huh?"

"Nope, not one bit." Audrea said, and patted Joyce's head. Joyce cringed up her face and swatted at her hand. Audrea continued down the hallway. "Come on, let's see if Link is here."

"His name is Ben, Audrea." Joyce nitpicked, tailing her friend and the other two coming behind Joyce.

"Like, as in Ben Drowned?" Lu Anne inquired. They passed four closed doors on their right. There was one more room at the end of the hall.

"Yeah."

"Isn't he twelve?"

"Oh my God, Joyce!" Audrea said. "Ew!"

"Holy shit, you guys!" Joyce groaned. "I don't like Creepypasta for that reason!"

"You did at one point, though, right?" Kodey asked. The four stopped in front of the last door.

"With Ben? No," Joyce shook her head. "I always just felt sad for him. This other character, on the other hand..."

"Slenderman?" Audrea guessed, smirking. "Jeff? Toby? Jack? The _other_ Jack?"

"Oh my God," Lu Anne guffawed. "If you liked Laughing Jack when you were thirteen I'm going to lose my _shit_."

Joyce clapped. "'Kay," She kept her hands together and gazed into Audrea's eyes. "Lemme straighten this out for you." Joyce glanced to Kodey and Lu Anne. Lu Anne was silently laughing, lips closed. Joyce held her eyes on Lu Anne, who tucked in her lips then mouthed _'sorry'_. "The only pasta I ever had a crush on as a tween was Slender."

Audrea snapped her fingers and waved a fist in victory. "Fucking knew it."

"That's a nice nickname for a scary monster, there, Joyce." Kodey commented.

"Oh, shut up, it's just what the fandom calls him, for short. Anyway, I thought Slender wasn't so bad cause he's more of a background menace than he is a foreground menace. Like, Jeff is a murderer and madman, Toby is a murderer and arsonist, E.J is a humanoid kidney eater who gives his victims temporary paralysis, and L.J is an abandoned, evil clown toy with a thing for people's innards. Point is, so long as you don't trespass, you're fine. Meaning we're going to be the next names on these walls." Joyce pointed down the hallway.

"But do you have a kink for tentacles?" Audrea teased, grinning.

"Shut, up!" Joyce laughed, beating Audrea's nearby side. Audrea laughed loudly and cowered away. "Come on," Joyce sang, grabbing the door handle and twisting it open. "Let's see if it's here." She peeked inside and saw an old television on a wooden stand that was in surprisingly good shape. On the floor to the left of the TV stand was an N64 with a _Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask_ cartridge. "Oh, look at that!" Joyce widened the door as she entered the room and led her friends in.

"Huh, yeah." Said Kodey. "It's still here."

"Guess nobody's come here to steal it because this place is so haunted." Lu Anne said, hiking up her shoulders and rubbing her arms.

Kodey smiled. "You scared?"

"No." Lu Anne pouted.

"Dare you to touch it."

"Really, Kodey?" Lu Anne complained, letting her hands fall from her arms. "I'm not touching _anything_ in this house."

"Me either." Added Audrea.

"Why, do _you_ wanna touch it, Kodey?" Asked Joyce, chuckling.

"Nope." Kodey said, pivoting and going back up the corridor. "I'm going outside. Think I've cursed myself enough for one lifetime." The girls laughed.

"We'll come out in a second too, Kodey." Audrea said. She raised her voice. "Don't feel bad!"

"I'm fine!" Kodey responded, as his figure left their sight.

"It smells so awful in here." Lu Anne said.

"What, in this room or in the house, in general?" Replied Joyce.

"Both, but this rooms smells like someone who hasn't bathed in _months_."

"Yeah," Audrea glanced behind them, into the hall. "Everywhere else smells like piss, beer and drugs, but this room is _bad_."

"Well, Ben is probably afraid of water because of his drowning, so of course he'd smell like he hasn't bathed in months." Joyce smiled as she looked at Lu Anne. "I'm surprised _'the smell of death'_ wasn't in your description."

"Oh," Lu Anne laughed. "I didn't realize I was missing _'the smell of death'_! Thank you for letting me know that, Joyce."

"You're welcome." Joyce chimed, in her throat.

"Guys! Time to go!" Shouted Daniel.

"Coming!" Lu Anne and Audrea responded. They were quick to leave, but Joyce stayed where she stood. Audrea noticed she wasn't with her and Lu Anne and looked behind into the room.

"Sorry if this is making our punishment for coming here worse." Joyce said. "Daniel thought this would settle the legend, once and for all, and we all kind of agreed. When people talk about this place, they talk like its a gateway to hell, like something awful lives here. I've always wondered if this place was just meant to be left alone, from the beginning. Sure would have saved a lot of lives, if that's the case and people had realized that, years ago."

"I'm not trying to make an excuse for myself or my friends. I just thought that if there really _are_ entities in this house, they might appreciate a warning or some kind of consolation. Especially if they can't help themselves escape. OK, I'm going. Again, I'm sorry. Uh, goodbye."

Joyce turned around and met Audrea's observant face. Joyce looked ashamed. Audrea shook her head. "It's fine, Joyce. I get it." Joyce nodded and walked past Audrea, who joined her tail.

The girls came outside, trading glances with Daniel as they passed him. He had a package of matches in his hand. Seeing Joyce's expression, Daniel asked, "You feeling OK, Joyce?"

"Yeah, just some guilt for being involved in destroying what's probably the home of characters from my childhood." She answered.

As Daniel responded, the three girls paused nearby. "They're either gonna come after our asses in a second or were never here. I've got faith in the second option." He came close to her and gently rubbed her back with a genuine smile. "We'll be fine, Joyce."

Daniel lit and tossed a match on the gas in the house. It ignited, and the flames spread quickly. He gestured with his head. "Come on, let's get out of here." He escorted his friends back to the car, the fire travelling with them. A window broke as they arrived in the front yard. Lu Anne and Joyce squealed.

They went into the car and buckled up. Kodey was already strapped in. Daniel started the car, shifted it into reverse and looked in his rear view mirror as he accelerated. Kodey and Audrea looked out the windows next to them. Lu Anne watched the fire through her window. Joyce leaned her head back on the seat and let her eyes close. She felt the car move, stop, then move again.

Daniel glanced at the speedometer: he was slightly above 20 kph. Seconds later, he saw the driveshaft move to third and the hand on the meter shoot up to 100. Everyone heard the engine rev and roar. Joyce's eyes flew open. Daniel's eyes stiffened.

"Daniel!" Exclaimed Lu Anne. Daniel snapped his head towards her. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" He answered, frantically.

"Take your foot off the pedal, you're gonna make us crash into the ditch!"

"OK, then!" Daniel took his foot off the pedal and crossed it over his leg. "It's not me, Lu!"

"What the fuck?" Kodey muttered.

Joyce said, "It's been years since I read a pasta, so I have no idea if—"

"Shut up, Joyce!" Lu Anne growled. Joyce raised her hands in defense.

Kodey grunted. "Child's lock isn't working."

Daniel tried the lock on his side. He shook his head. "It won't work for me, either." Joyce scarcely saw something at the end of the road. She screamed upon looking at its face.

The car hit the dog and the car flipped once, causing everyone inside to scream in terror. The vehicle landed on its hood and skidded to the edge of the concrete. The dog appeared there, and the car stopped against his fur. The dog sneezed, then crossed the road and ducked into the woods.

A boy was at the edge of forest where the dog entered. He gave the dog's ears a quick scratch as they crossed paths. "Good boy." The boy sounded happy. He wore a brown hoodie with grey and brown striped sleeves, grey sweats and black runners. He had a brown mask covering the lower half of his face with white lines forming a smile and orange goggles. He carried a hatchet in his right hand and a Jerry can in his other.

A car drove by the crash as the stranger crossed the road. He watched the vehicle drive on for a few seconds, confident it wouldn't come back. Movement from the upside down car brought his attention to Daniel. He had freed himself. The hooded boy strode forward, stopped above Daniel and brought his hatchet down three times to behead the driver. Two female screams came from the car.

The killer raised his voice, his speech rushed and bringing out his stutter. "St-Stay where you are, and you w-won't have to f-face the same fate as your fr-friend."

"But aren't you going to kill us, anyway?" Said Lu Anne. The boy squatted so he could look into the car. Kodey and Audrea were motionless.

"Yes, I am. We ex-expected you to drive away. We even expected this guy," The killer kicked Daniel's head softly, and it rolled a little closer to the side window. "To crawl out, l-like he did." He unscrewed the lid of the canister and splashed some liquid inside the car. "I'm sparing you the t-taste of gas, but I'm s-supposed to splash passengers, too."

"Then splash us, Toby." Joyce said, threateningly. Toby watched her for a second and saw that she had quietly unbuckled herself.

"Nah. This w-will be enough." Toby poured the rest of the gasoline on the outside of the car. He saw Joyce stand up from the passenger's side in the corner of his eye.

"You're leaving me?!" Cried Lu Anne. "I'm stuck! You won't even die with me?!" Toby crossed the road at his leisure and gave the empty Jerry can to the dog. The canine took the item in his human teeth and trotted back into the forest.

"You kicked two cats right in front of their owner in junior year, Lu." Said Joyce, squatting to look at her friend. "And last year you adopted a neutered Tom, recorded yourself throwing its kennel into the river and showed it to us in a group chat. You are _very_ lucky we convinced you to delete that video instead of turning you in to the police for animal abuse." Toby came back to the car and played with his hatchet.

"I don't need to remind you the wrongs of our friends, but we're all fucking trash bags. I'm not even saying the shit I've done is forgivable, even if it's like a little paper cut, compared to what you guys have done. I'd just rather not burn to death." Joyce gestured to Toby with an open hand. "Toby probably won't even kill me with his hatchet, now that I've essentially sabotaged what I assume is Plan A. But I've _never_ felt like I was really friends with any of you. And that's why I'm not dying in the car with you."

"Fucking..." Lu Anne jerked at her seat belt. "You traitor!" She screamed, hollered and thrashed.

"You'd b-better get to the other side of the r-road, _Joyce_." Toby nodded in the direction of the forest. "I can't waste any more time with this. I'll talk with you in a second."

"Sure thing." Replied Joyce. She walked in front of the car and strolled until she was there. Toby twirled the hatchet in the air, and embers and sparks emanated from the blade. He caught it, then tapped the vehicle. Flames spread across the car, and the boy bolted across the highway.

Toby looked back in time to see the vehicle explode. His cheek muscles flexed into a smile. "That s-sure looks nice with the sunset, d-don't you think?" He felt a familiar presence in the forest but kept his attention on Joyce.

She nodded. "It does, yeah. Fire is almost always pleasing to watch."

His tone of voice became serious. "When is it not?"

"When someone's burning alive."

"Then you lied to me."

"Not entirely, but partially, yeah, I guess so. I'm not that sad my friends are dead, now. Like I said, they weren't that great."

"How so?" Toby crossed his arms. "What'd the others do?"

"Audrea cheated on Kodey, last year. Kodey didn't find out until a couple months after it'd been going on. Audrea forgot her phone at Kodey's place." Joyce said. Toby hummed.

"Kodey just stole a couple cans of beer from the fridge when we came over to play games, in senior year. His dad noticed, of course, but Kodey just got grounded for a month. Daniel acted like an asshole almost always because that was how he coped with his anxiety. He was probably the smartest out of all of us. He always paid real close attention to thing."

"Hm. What about you?"

"Worst thing _I've_ done is made my mom cry." Joyce scratched her head.

Toby tilted his head. "How did you make your mom cry?"

Joyce sighed. "When I was sixteen, I liked Daniel. I told him, some time in November. He looked shocked, and I was so heart broken when he said _'Joyce, let's just be friends, OK?'_ . I literally ran home. My parents were at work, but I had the house keys."

"I stayed in my room for hours. I heard my mom knock on my door a couple hours later, when she came home. She asked if I was OK and if she could come in. I answered _'no'_. She asked if she could _please_ come in, and after a second I said _'yes'_. After I told her what happened, she felt so sorry and laid beside me. That's how she started crying. Dad came home half an hour later and made dinner for us."

Toby's cheeks rose a little. "That's sweet. It's nice that your parents love you that much." Joyce heaved a sigh and rolled her shoulders back. Her joints cracked, grateful to be stretched. "Do you feel better, now that you've talked a little?"

Joyce nodded. "Yeah. Thanks." She heard rapid crunching and steps behind her but didn't have time to turn around. She was lucky to not watch the running jump scare. Joyce gasped in pain as a knife punctured her back on the left side.

A gnarring young male voice said, "Sorry, witnesses aren't allowed to walk away and say they'll swear the fifth. It's better this way for everyone, OK?" Joyce felt all of her strength leave her body. She couldn't even think about who was behind her.

She gave a small nod and mumbled, "OK."

"Good. Go to sleep. You'll be fine." Said the killer behind Joyce, and then he removed his knife from her body and let her fall on the asphalt.

—

The bright, fiery coloured sunset had darkened, and the hole was almost filled in with dirt. "I'm thankful we're almost done." Said the pale faced boy with a smile like Kuchisake-onna. He had no eyelids, so his blackish-brown eyes were appalling. His black hair was styled like a mullet, but was more layered and was surprisingly healthy. He wore a white hoodie, black jeans and sneakers.

"Me too." Added Toby. His goggles hung around his neck. His eyes were carob brown.

"I sort of missed burying evidence. Feels like it's been a long time."

"It _has_ been, yes." Said the black skinned boy with a navy blue mask that had black eye holes that black liquid stains trailed from. It seemed like he had no eyes. He had a black hoodie and shoes and dark washed jeans. "The wendigos were happy to care of the others, as always."

The pale faced boy looked up to his left, where Slenderman stood. "Boss, you didn't tell us why we're burying this girl instead of feeding her to the freaks."

Slenderman had a deep voice and spoke clearly. He sometimes pronounced the vowels _'e'_ and _'a'_ with breath. "This encounter reminded me of a story I knew would happen on this date. The story marked no year. At dusk, return here to help me to bring Joyce back to life. If she awakens with her memories, she is the girl from the story. We will all benefit from her. If not, you must kill her again, Jeff."

Jeff whined and said, "I hope this isn't another fucking Jane or Nina."

The masked boy laughed. "It was fun to read those stories. I'm not sure I've read that story before, boss. Can you tell us anything about it?"

Slenderman answered, "Yes. Ben will come out of hiding and be washed by her. Living in the house will be more pleasant for you boys."

" _'Washed by her'_ ?!" Jeff exclaimed. "Holy shit, you mean our boy's finally gonna take a bath?"

Slenderman's brow furrowed. "Yes, of course. What else does _'washed by'_ mean but _'to be bathed by'_?"

Jeff made an apologetic face. "Nothing, boss. Didn't mean to upset you 'nd sound stupid."

"It is fine. Finish quickly, it is past your supper."

—

There was one knock, a pause, then a second knock on the front door. Jeff led Toby and the blue masked boy inside the house. Its condition was perfect: there was no graffiti on the walls, the room smelled clean and was undamaged, the furniture and counters were in good shape and the light fixtures worked. Slenderman had put out the fire during their conflict with the friends. The three came to the kitchen, where Slenderman stood facing the window above the sink that looked out at the front year.

Plates of stir fried beef, peppers, cherry tomatoes, onion, celery, broccoli and cauliflower were on the dining table, along with empty glasses and a plastic pitcher of water. The boys sat at the table and ate their food. The one wearing a mask removed his disguise and placed it on the floor to eat. He was eyeless. The black liquid stains were on his face, too. The liquid was pitch black, while his skin was more of an ash grey.

Toby grabbed the pitcher and poured water for himself, then looked to his friends to see if they wanted any. The boy in the black hoodie nodded, raising his glass and letting Toby fill it with water. As he drank some, Toby looked at Jeff again. Jeff shook his head, so Toby put the pitcher down and shimmed it forwards, closer to the middle of the table. Moments later, Slenderman disappeared. The three had no reaction to the loud static and descending whistle sound left in his place.

"I'm trying to remember if I've read a story that began with arson and what else happened, today." Said the eyeless boy.

"Online?" Replied Jeff.

He shook his head. "No, in the books. Boss hasn't let me in his room in months. Last story I read was about the haunted lamp in Wyoming we had to fetch. Didn't get to the ending. Boss came back from the Hedges before I could."

"Is anything coming to mind?" Toby questioned.

He shook his head again. "No, nothing. Wish I did. The suspense is killing me."

Jeff's face lit up. He quickly took out his knife from the pocket of his hoodie. "Literally?"

The eyeless boy lowered his shoulders. "No, Jeff. Not literally." Jeff pouted and threw his knife back in his pocket. "I _will_ let you know, however." The eyeless boy smiled.

"Hell yeah, man." Jeff chuckled as he chewed.

"Jeff," Complained Toby. "Gross." The eyeless boy's shoulders bounced as he silently laughed.

—

Jeff closed the overhead cabinet where the bowls, plates and cups were stored. The eyeless boy had his mask on, again. He sat at the dining table and was writing with blue pen and a notebook of lined paper. Jeff went outside, where Toby tossed a green Frisbee. The creepy dog chased and always caught it before it touched the ground. Now and then, he was early enough to jump and catch it. Jeff sighed as he stopped beside Toby. "It'll be nice to have someone new here." Said Jeff.

Toby quirked an eyebrow. "Even though they're a girl?"

Jeff scoffed. "Of course. Got nothing against them. Just the nutty ones who think I'll bone them just because—" He raised his hands and made finger quotes. "— _'We're both outcasts'_ or some shit. Girls are fine. Course, I have to wear a mask and shades like a pop star to talk to them without them screaming _'Aaa!'_ " Jeff waved his arms about and made a dumb face. Toby chuckled. " _'Get away from me! Freak!'_ "

Toby laughed into a sigh. "It's tough, being a pasta."

Jeff sniffled and crossed his arms. "I wish someone would boil me in water, throw me into a pot of meat and eat me."

Toby glanced at the sky, then made eye contact with Jeff. "Did you have a dream like that last night, or is this your way of saying you'd like to be eaten by a cannibal?"

Jeff was still for a moment, staring into the forest. Seconds later, he turned his head to Toby. "What the fuck? No, neither of those god awful things. Was calling back an old meme."

"Oh, I see now." The dog came back with the Frisbee. He nudged Jeff's leg with the toy.

"What, is it _my_ turn, now?" Jeff said, taking the Frisbee. The dog barked. "All right. Heeere we go!" Jeff threw the toy far down the driveway, and the dog took after it.

"Nice one, Jeff."

"Thanks."

"I'm a bit surprised, actually. It's been a while since we've fought anything."

"I stole that gym equipment from the mall a couple months ago, remember?" The dog came back with the toy, and Jeff threw it again.

"Oh, yeah. I must be tired, or something. Literally saw the equipment this morning."

"You're nervous about the story this girl is part of. I'd lay money on it."

"Y-Yeah, I guess s-so." Toby swallowed. "Thing is, last time an, an outsider who was in the books c-came around, we lost Sally. And sh-she was finally happy again, a-after the last story that p-played out. You remember how c-close we were to being f-found out that time, don't you?" Jeff nodded, but didn't take his eyes off the dog. "I-I'm just scared that we'll lose someone else, this time. We've been l-living together with the boss for over s-six years, Jeff. I-It'd fucking suck if we'd have to go on w-with another sh-shitty memory, like that.:"

"I hear you, Toby. I really do." Jeff made eye contact with his friend. "I'm worried, too. But maybe, this time, we'll all make it out OK. We've gotta trust each other and boss, like always. And maybe pay better attention."

"I-In his defense, he did his b-best to scare of the punks b-before they c-could find Sally."

"Yeah, but I could have won against that asshole and that would have been the end of it."

"Jeff, we were outnumbered. They even made that stupid salt so boss couldn't tip the scales in our favour."

"What kind of weakness is that, anyway?" Jeff scoffed. Toby quickly peeked behind them, then returned his attention to Jeff. "I thought boss was invincible." Jeff lowered his eyes to the ground and rubbed his arm. The dog came back and stood with the Frisbee in his mouth for a moment before placing it at Jeff's feet and sitting.

" _That_ scares me. The one thing I thought would outlive even the world being wiped clean by a meteor or being sucked up by a black hole is weak to salt on steroids. I just hope he never gets the short end of the stick. I'd hate to live without him." Jeff mused.

Toby nodded shortly. "Me too."

Jeff was bending to pick up the toy when the voice of the dog, a throat sourced voice that would surely make any toddler piss themselves, said, "That's enough, Jeff. I'm going inside to sleep."

"A'ight. Have a good nap." Replied Jeff, flipping the disc a little and catching it with one hand.

"How do you feel about all this, Smile?" Asked Toby.

"I think it will be interesting. Every female that comes here dies. Jane, Nina, Sally, and master's past endeavours in love have all died. Even female animals perish, here. It's a wonder that Carp survives in the lake. That place is a natural danger. Thus, I wonder how this girl will be tested and if she will survive. Will master be kind to her, as he was to Sally? Will they be allies, like we and Carp and the wendigos are to him? Or will her time be here cause nothing but headache to us and lead to her permanent demise, as it did to Jane and Nina?"

"Those are some good questions, Smile." Toby nodded. "A bit theatrical, but good."

Jeff's shoulders bounded up. "Ha. If I was six years younger, I would have gone—" He pretended to plug his ears with his fingers. "— _'La la la la la!'_ " Jeff lowered his hands. "And we would wrestle, blood would fly..." He poked himself. "Jack would have to patch me up while you'd go for a walk, and I'd get scolded by boss about my behaviour. It'd fucking suck. So I'm glad we're pals now, boy."

The dog's tail swished to and fro. "Me too, Jeff."

—

Knock, knock. Jack glanced up from the notebook as the two boys and the dog entered, Toby closing the door behind them. Jeff yawned as he and Toby removed their shoes and asked, "How's the paper work coming, Jack?"

"Good. Two pages left." Smile trotted over to the dog bed beside the couch and laid there.

"Both sides of two pages?"

Jack shook his head. "Just two sides of one page."

"You gonna chill with us, after?"

"Maybe. Want me to bring snacks?"

"If you're gonna join us, yeah. But if not, Toby or I can do it."

"OK." Said Jack. Toby and Jeff went to the room the friends saw the old TV and console in. Toby opened the door, and a black leather couch and matching coffee table were in front of the television. There were two remote controllers and a Blu-Ray player on the TV stand. _Legend of Zelda_ merchandise was displayed on a shelf to the right and realistically drawn Creepypasta illustrations were tacked onto the left wall around a window. A black blanket was nailed above it to serve as a curtain.

Jeff grabbed the remote from the TV stand as Toby sat down. "Whatcha think?" He inquired as he turned on the TV. The logo of the Blu-Ray player floated around the screen. "Something good or something shit?"

Toby laughed. "Shit, please."

"Shit it is." Jeff opened the cupboard and took out a movie.

He was closing the cupboard when a voice came from the television. "Are the people who came here buried, again?"

"Yeah, of course, Ben." Answered Jeff.

"Why do you ask?" Asked Toby. "Were you feeling the heat, this time?"

"I was feeling a little hot, yeah. But also 'cause the spirit in the clock told me that she feels that thing is coming soon." Ben said. Jeff and Toby looked at each other. "So who's coming back from the dead?" He muttered, "I hope they're nice."

"A girl named Joyce is. She's from a story that's supposed to have happened today. The boss said he didn't know what year, though."

"Which one was she?"

Jeff answered, "The brunette who had a good perspective about us and talked about us the most. She was one of the nicer friends."

"Honestly," Toby said. "From what happened today and what Joyce said, Daniel was the only asshole."

Jeff clicked his tongue. "I mean, you're not wrong."

"Gotta wonder what his saving grace was." Ben said. Jeff and Toby shrugged.

"We'll have to ask Joy."

" _Joyce_." Chuckled Toby. "Her name was _Joyce_."

Jeff waved a hand. "I was close enough."

"She probably won't like being called by the wrong name, you know." Said Ben. Jeff grumbled and opened the disc case, then put the movie in the machine. He walked to the couch, put the remotes on the table and sat beside Toby.

—

Knocking came from the door. Jeff and Toby looked to the doorway land saw Jack. "It's time. Let's go."

Jeff hopped to his feet, but Toby looked at the N64 as he rose to his feet and asked, "You staying, Ben?"

"Yeah. You don't need me for this. I'll meet her later."

"OK." Toby replied. He hurried to the door. Jack and Jeff waited in the hallway for him. The boys were joined by Smile dog at the door while Jeff and Toby put on their shoes.

They went outside and entered the right side of the forest that boxed in the yard. A boulder the size of a calf with two black vertical lines painted on it came into view after fifty paces. The four passed the rock and reached a clearing after a little more than thirty paces. Four tombstones in a neat row were there, surrounded by daisies and wild grass. Slenderman stood by the stone on the far right.

All of the dirt of Joyce's grave had been excavated and was in a pile where one had been, before. The blazing sky turned the pretty blue of dusk. Slenderman raised the dagger he'd been holding. Its handle was black with a white _'X'_ wrapped around it. Slenderman made a small cut in his left palm. He turned his palm down and held it over the hole. His blood was black and rather thick, and it smelled like old paper. It seeped into the cloth that concealed Joyce, and a black cosmos bloomed from the stain.

Slenderman gave the knife to Jack, who cut his hand and let his blood fall onto the cloth. Slenderman's wound healed with a quiet sound like the page of a book being turned and rolled. Jack's blood was black too, but it fell easier than Slenderman's and smelled like burnt organ meat. Jack sniffled in response. A forget-me-not sprouted where Jack's blood landed.

The dagger was given to Jeff, and Jack wrapped his hand while Jeff cut his hand. There was nothing special about his blood. A lavender spring crocus grew from the blood stain. Jeff gave the knife to Toby, then Jeff held his hand out for Jack to bandage. Toby cut his palm, and his blood was normal, too. A lotus appeared where his blood fell. Smile raised his left leg, and Toby made a small cut near his paw, then stood up so Jack could wrap his wound. The dog's blood was ordinary, and a dark pink begonia bloomed from the blood.

Slenderman said, "Joyce McGregor. We have given our blood to reclaim your soul from death and ask for you to prove your humanity. Speak your full name and tell us how you died." One of his tendrils appeared, reached into the hole and peeled away the cloth from Joyce's face. She looked petrified and very much alive.

"J-Joyce Harriet McGregor. I was stabbed in the back, right in the heart, on Michigan Route 99." She said. Jeff wheezed, realized he'd goofed up, and tucked in his lips. He peeked at Slenderman, who bowed his head menacingly.

"Sorry, boss. It's just the way she worded it." Jeff couldn't keep his tone neutral. He made a cough that was partially a laugh, then cleared his throat and was silent. Joyce noted what Jeff called Slenderman and decided she would call him that, too.

Slenderman turned his head slightly, to Joyce. "That was enough. You passed. Stand up and give me your hand. I'll get you out of this hole."

Joyce nodded a little. She tested the strength of her legs and found they were fine. She got to her feet and raised her arm. Slenderman took her hand in his. Her face had a moment to express shock at its coldness, then she saw dirt fly by her eyes and suddenly stood beside him. Her eyes hurt, so she closed them and blinked.

"You will get used to that feeling." Said Slenderman. "Part of your training will be to harness the power the clock gives the boys so you can evade almost anything and have a better offense. Think of how fast Jeff ran, when he killed you. That speed is what you are capable of, now. As I said, you will need training i training so your speed will not hurt your eyes. You will also learn how to control your heartbeat so you can keep your pace without dying."

"That's..." Joyce chuckled. "Pretty cool. I'm guessing I can't know why you brought me back, right?"

"No, you may ask. In fact, that is a good topic of conversation for our short walk back home. I will explain to you your role and test. You may spend the rest of the evening with these boys and Smile dog, who you must get along with as allies or friends in order to understand and maintain the balance and power of my territory and perhaps the clock, as well. There are other pastas and characters you will meet, as well."

"Also, because this is your first night as a pasta, I will keep guard while you sleep so that no monster comes to steal you away. I learned that the hard way with Jeff and Toby. They arrived at different times, yet the things that came for them were similar. When female pastas lived here, I also saw a pattern of what monsters came to the forest. I will anticipate your mastery of this forest, your allies, your power, and the remainder of your story. How does that sound to you?"

Joyce smiled, her shoulders bouncing in muted laughter. "That sounds wild. I'll do my best, boss." Slenderman recognized she picked up the name from Jeff and thought it was a good decision.

"Good. Come, let's walk." Slenderman walked in the direction the three boys had come, his pace leisurely. Joyce had no difficulty in walking beside him. The others trailed behind them.

"First, I must explain the clock. It was once Natalie Ouellette, also known as Clockwork." Slenderman said. Joyce quirked her brows. "A few weeks after she came here, she fell ill."

"For a week, she was bedridden and barely had an appetite. She could barely walk. I stood guard to make sure no monster would take advantage of her, but nothing came. At the end of the week, she woke up paralyzed from the neck down. She said that a kind voice in her sleep told her that she needed to be in my bedroom and stand against a wall."

"She was too weak to stand, so I carried her there with the boys in tow and stood her against the wall." Slenderman explained. The group came to pass by the boulder. On the side they were facing were two vertical lines, and at the top of each was a diagonal line. These two lines came together to form a peak.

"Her head drooped, and her clock eye fell on the floor. I keep it in a little box. Your friends saw it. It sometimes spawns in your dimension. I have a spell attached to it so that my hand springs from it."

"Natalie transformed into a grandfather clock. I noticed that the face of the sun had something black peeking out from beneath it. I gently grabbed and moved the object and discovered it was a solar eclipse. I waited until night time to see if the moon had something behind it. There was a cluster of mistletoe. I decided to stop snooping, in case I found something that would have negative consequences."

"When you and your friends came in the house," Slenderman said, as the six of them reached the house. Toby ran ahead to knock on the door and opened it wide for everyone to enter, and then he closed the door. The boys removed their shoes and waited for their boss to move, so Joyce took her shoes off, too. "The left side of the clock, where its face is, moved down and revealed a tin the size of the square embellishment imprinted on the wood."

Slenderman walked to the living room, and Joyce followed him there, taking a seat on the right end of the couch. The boys filled in the rest of the seats, and the dog laid on his bed. "I have not touched it and did not sense any life or magic from the tin box. I believe there are more secrets within the clock that the spirit is not aware of. When you are able to, tomorrow or afterwards, I want you to investigate the clock." Said Slenderman.

Joyce nodded. "Sure, I can do that."

"Good. I said that the clock has some kind of power on us. I do not understand it because I have chosen to not examine it further, but I assume it is connected to the nameless spirit that saved Natalie. I sometimes hear Natalie's voice from the clock and have a conversation with her. She sounds happy, now. Very much at peace."

"The voice she heard in her sleep apparently saved her from a terrible monster that was going to suddenly appear in the forest and come to find and kill Natalie, as a late repercussion of her sins against her family. Natalie is now in a miniature dimension within the clock with the phantom. I have been told that the monster still lurks in this forest. I have been unable to find it. It is my hope that you will be able to solve whatever puzzle is within or connected to the clock so that I can banish or exterminate this monster."

"I hope I'll be able to solve it, too." Joyce nodded. "It sounds really important."

"I like your attitude towards this challenge very much. That puzzle is part of your test. Along with your physical training and exploration of your powers, your must refurbish this house." Said Slenderman. Joyce raised an eyebrow.

"I know that does not sound like much of a challenge, but know that you will be required to steal everything I ask of you. We have no vehicle or trailer to transport furniture with, but we _do_ have allies who can wait outside the store to carry items. You will be accompanied by one of the boys, Smile dog or Laughing Jack to make sure things go smoothly. I will grade you based on the condition of the items, your discreetness and your level of teamwork with your partner."

"Is there a reason you want me to refurbish the house, boss?" Joyce asked.

"Yes: so it will be nicer for you and the boys to live here. Depending on your power, new furniture may give you a magic boost, as well. Your task may sound easy, but remember that when people hear about the burglaries, your job will become harder. If you are lucky and trained well enough, the increased difficulty will be nothing more than a thorn in your side. I expect you to become an urban legend, during that time, so do your best now and in the future. Make them scared, but do not let on what is actually happening. Understood?"

"Yes, boss." Joyce nodded firmly.

"Good. One more thing: I have some clothes in my bedroom you should take a look at. It will not be very comfortable to sleep in the clothes you have on, especially since you died in them. Take what you like." Slenderman said, and Joyce nodded again. "You are dismissed. Thank you for your time, boys."

The boys got up and walked down the hallway. Joyce stood up too and went to the master bedroom, Slenderman coming behind her. The carpet, the curtains behind it and the bedding spread crisply on the bed were white. The comforter had a vintage red floral pattern, and the bed frame was a gorgeous reddish-brown wood that matched the nightstand on the right side of the bed and the grandfather clock. The clock was an arm's length left of the door and two arm's length away from the bed. A sliding closet door was across from the bed. Photos were tacked onto the wall where the closet door was.

Joyce took a moment to look at the pictures. Some of them were very old. Three of these had a young woman with light curly hair and nice looking eyes. In one picture she wore a dress with small polka dots and was kneeling in a familiar looking meadow where daisies and wild grass grew. She was posed smiling as she was plucking the petals of a daisy, and one was tucked behind her hair.

In another, she sat with her legs outstretched, her right ankle crossed over her other. The woman held a camera aimed at the person who took a photo of her. She wore the same outfit, and some daisies and wild grass were in her lap. The third photo showed the woman leaning against a pale skinned man in a black and white suit. Joyce instantly knew the man was Slenderman.

The woman's eyes were closed, her head resting against Slenderman's lower chest and her arms relaxed at her sides. Her legs were curled up slightly beneath her. Joyce felt nostalgic and calm as she looked at these pictures. "Dorothea Moore." Slenderman's voice spooked Joyce. "Sorry. I did not mean to scare you."

"You're fine. These pictures are beautiful. Seems like she was really happy with you." Joyce commented.

"She was." His tone sounded remorseful.

"You don't have to answer me, but she how did she come here? And how long was she here until she..." Joyce trailed off, thinking that Dorothea may have been killed by a monster. "Left?"

"She died in 1978 from a monster in the basement. It grabbed her ankles from between the stairs, made her fall, then tore out and slurped up her wind pipes." Slenderman described. Joyce covered her mouth with a hand and gulped. Tears came to her eyes. "I killed it a moment later. I was able to hold Dorothea until she died. She was forty-two years old." 

A tear escaped Joyce's eye, and she wiped it away, sniffling. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you. I have since remodeled the stairs. There is still room to hide under there, but I put strong wards that most monsters will avoid on the floor." Slenderman said. Joyce hummed. 

"Dorothea, her mother and sisters came riding into my territory, in the May of 1936. You know this to be the year Dorothea disappeared." Said Slenderman, and Joyce nodded. "They had moved into Adams, a few months earlier. One of the burrowing monsters I was hunting passed by, spooking their horses."

"One of the sisters got bucked off and injured her leg. Dorothea and her other sister started to ride back to town to get help, while their mother stayed to keep the sister company. The monster appeared again, scaring away the mother's horse and leaping onto Dorothea's horse. The poor animal tried to buck Dorothea off, but her foot was stuck in the stirrup. I decided to free her, and set her on the ground, on her feet. She screamed in terror, of course. I grabbed the monster and ate it, ending its life. The horse laid on the ground, dying. The sister rode away while all of this happened. She was lucky to not have been jumped by one of the invisible monsters that sometimes spawn in the trees."

"Holy sh—" Joyce clapped a hand over her mouth.

"It is fine. You may swear. Jeff does it all the time."

Joyce laughed. "OK. Well, uh, holy shit! Sounds like it was really intense. And... invisible monsters." She shook her head and made an _'X'_ with her arms. "Nope."

"I destroyed a nest in 1962 and another in 1987. They originate elsewhere but take years to reach here. They are small, tan monkeys with long, sharp fingers and toes to tear into their prey. I have no idea how they are able to become invisible. Hemorrhoids." Slenderman said. Joyce silently laughed.

"You can sit on my bed, if you'd like. This story is quite long." Slenderman gestured to his bed. Joyce nodded, then politely sat on the horizontal end of the bed. Slenderman took a seat beside her.

"Anyway: I kept my grip on Dorothea and told her to stay there," Slenderman explained. Joyce's neck got tired of looking up at him. She rubbed where she was sore, then looked at her lap and sometimes to Slenderman's hands, which moved from time to time. "That I would protect them from harm until her sister returned with help but had to leave for a moment to make sure her sister left my territory safely. Dorothea nodded."

"I left and ate a few monkeys so the sister could leave. I returned to Dorothea and her family and scared them by my appearance. I told them their sister had escaped safely, and the mother asked how they could trust me, since I was a monster. I answered _'Wait.'_ and told them I would watch out of sight so they would not be afraid, and that it would be best for all of us if they kept my existence a secret. The mother was dazed and said _'Fine.'_ , the sister nodded, in too much pain to give me more than minimal attention, and Dorothea said _'yes'_."

"I went away and ate more monkeys as the sister came back with a doctor and a horse pulling a wagon. They heard me, but I was too quick for them to see anything. I was surprised that they kept their word. Dorothea made up the smart excuse that wild dogs had attacked them, and that a hunter who lives nearby had saved them. The sister who had come back was in disbelief and insisted that a tall, faceless monster wearing a suit had saved them from a horde of creatures. She was frustrated that her family did not agree that this was the truth."

"The doctor tried to soothe the sister, but she would not listen and stood with her back turned to everyone. She had to be asked twice to help carry her injured sister into the wagon with the stretcher. The mother, Dorothea and her sister got into the wagon and rode away with the doctor. I followed them to the edge of the forest. They said nothing, except for the doctor asking how the injured sister was, now and then. I watched them until I could not see them, anymore."

"The next month, Dorothea came back. She was not rushing her horse, and she was in no danger of an attack because I had cleaned the forest before she came, coincidentally. She had not seen me on her ride in, but I sensed her coming. She managed to find the meadow without getting lost. I thought that was peculiar. That was my initial reason of why I wanted to interact with her."

"Dorothea got off her horse, untied a flower wreath with purple and white campanula perscifolia from her saddle, and looked around. She called me _'sir'_ and thanked me for helping her family. Said that campanulas symbolize gratitude, and that was why she chose them for the wreath. Her sister was recovering well. Dorothea did not expect me to show myself but hoped I would put the wreath somewhere nice, wherever I took shelter. She laughed, wondering if I even needed shelter."

"She laid the wreath against the rock her sister landed on, said _'goodbye'_ and climbed back on her horse. I appeared beside her, after she looked up from the animal. I scared both of them, of course. Dorothea was able to calm her horse down quite easily. I let it smell my hand to help. I thanked her for the wreath and said it was beautiful. I had never been gifted anything by a human, before. She smiled and said that _'maybe it was time'_."

"I asked her how she found her way back to the same meadow without getting lost. Dorothea said she remembered the forest layout very clearly. I hummed and said that was interesting. I said she was free to go, but that she should not return because of how much work is involved in keeping the forest monster-free. I added that I would make sure she left safely, again."

"She nodded, said she understood, then bid me farewell. I said _'goodbye'_ to her, then went away and watched her go. I noticed a blush rise to her cheeks. I was intrigued. I could not think of why I would be attractive to a human female. Dorothea shook her head to get rid of the blush, but the way she looked among the trees let me know she was still thinking of me."

"The next week, she rode in at a fast trot. Her horse sounded exhausted and had no saddle, but Dorothea had a bag with her. I was doing nothing, at the time. I heard a horse enter behind her, in pursuit. A man was calling for her. His horse had no saddle, either. He called her some very ugly names."

"Dorothea came to the meadow. I was already there, anticipating her. Her horse recognized me and was unafraid. I told her to stay close to the ground and close her eyes, to trust me. She obeyed, dismounting from her horse as quick as she could. By the time she touched the ground, her chaser had caught up. He and his horse were scared of me."

"I grabbed that man, went somewhere else in the forest, lifted him up to the top of a bare tree with my tendrils, and pushed him down, belly first. His screams echoed quite nicely as I pushed him down like raw beef on a shish kabob. Soon, he was a corpse. I left him there for the wendigos to find. I came back to Dorothea and told her he had been taken care of. She shuddered and thanked me. I asked her if she needed a place to stay for the night, and she said _'yes'_. I told her to walk her horse, then led her and the animal to this house."

"I tied the horse in the front yard and gave it a protective necklace so that it could graze and not be detected by monsters. Dorothea stayed in the room that Jack now sleeps in. It is the one closest to the bathroom. I told you that I learned to watch over new allies because of my experiences with Jeff and Toby. Dorothea was actually the first person I had to learn to protect on the first night."

"I will never forget how she screamed. I came into her room immediately and banished the monster to the lake to die in the water. Dorothea had wet the bed and was bleeding from her inner thighs. The monster had taken a bite into her womanhood. I had to perform a healing ritual in the backyard to stop the bleeding and fix what had been damaged."

"A large horde of monkeys came to feast on her. I remember how taxing moving that much was for me. Dorothea was in so much pain. She was struggling to keep awake. My natural methods through aroma awareness only did so much. I had to keep talking with her."

"That day, Dorothea told me the man was her husband. He lied to everyone, pretending to be a good person. But when they married and moved in together, he turned against her, calling her names and starving her unless she behaved the way he wanted, begging and crying for food and water, for water to bathe, for something to do in the house. This went on for two weeks."

"Her mother became concerned and came to their home. That monster killed her mother in cold blood with a knife, stabbing her an unnecessary amount of times. Her mother told Dorothea to run, so she went out to the yard, climbed onto her horse and ran. Her husband chased her, of course. I am glad I killed him. And so was she."

"I was able to fix Dorothea in a little more than ten minutes. I remember that night vividly. I hate that memory. I brought her inside and laid her on my bed so I could guard her easier. She was still so afraid, so I moved her body so her head rested on my chest. She slept, then. We shared my bed from then on."

Joyce said, "And then the search party came this way, and that's how you were discovered."

"Yes. Thankfully, this house exists in two dimensions. I put out the fire in your dimension so it wouldn't spread to the forest and so the police will be able to enter the house. When the police come to investigate, they will be confused and may suspect that _'the ghost put out the fire'_. They will about why there is an empty, burned car belonging to your friend. They will either search the forest for the bodies of you and your friends or will leave it as a cold case. I believe Adams still fears this forest. Am I correct?"

Joyce nodded. "Yeah, most people don't wanna drive down your driveway. Most people believe that you, the real Slenderman, have your territory here."

"I see. Does anyone know you came out this way? Did you see any familiar cars, during your drive?"

"Kodey said that Daniel told him that one of Daniel's neighbours was sitting on their deck, when he went out to his car. None of us let our families know about our little trip. None of us usually drove out this way, and I didn't recognize any cars. If my friends did, they didn't say."

"Then this is the start of your pasta: you are a member of a group of friends who almost all vanished without anyone knowing you were coming to a house on the outskirts of Adams, Hillsdale county, Michigan, along route 99. Instead of dying in the car from the crash brought on by Smile dog or being burnt alive in the car by Ticci Toby with the one other friend who survived the crash, you abandoned her to die alone and had a conversation with Toby. You were stabbed from behind by Jeff the Killer, his blade puncturing your heart. While the corpses of your friends were given to wendigos to eat, you were buried in a small meadow where three other pastas and one outsider had been buried. At dusk, five Creepypasta characters gathered at your excavated grave."

"They each drew blood and let it fall on the cloth your body was covered with, and with the power of the flowers that bloomed from the blood stains, and the powers of the clock and the forest, you were resurrected. I, Slenderman, told you that your task is to restore the house in the second dimension in which the house exists by stealing furniture. But first, you must learn how to move like a pasta. Your name is The Housekeeper. The story is also called this."

"So you know all of this, but the rest of my story is a mystery?" Joyce inquired.

"That is right. I do hope you are able to make your pasta worth people's time." Slenderman turned his head towards the clock. "Especially since you will be looking into what is inside that tin. But we shall save that for tomorrow. Go and look in my closet for some clothes, Joyce. I would like you to leave my room, after that."

Joyce nodded, then stood and strode to the closet. She opened the doors and swept her eyes across the dresses, coats and cardigans hung on the left side of the rack to the dresser and blue totes on the other side. "Pyjamas are in the second drawer." Slenderman said, standing from his bed and parting the curtains to look outside.

"Thanks." Joyce replied, glancing back at him. She pulled open the second drawer and browsed through the night gowns, pants and tops. The lighter clothes were inside. Joyce assumed that the winter clothes were inside the totes.

She liked the soft, light grey pants with small white polka dots. It had no matching shirt, so Joyce closed the second drawer and looked in the third one. There were sweat pants and jeans, there. The drawer below it had what she was looking for. She found a white T-shirt in that drawer, took it out and closed the drawer and the closet doors.

Joyce turned around and saw Slenderman turn his head towards her. He said, "Jack sleeps in the basement. The bedroom that's closest to the bathroom is yours." Dorothea's room. "Jack helped me clean it up a bit and made the bed for you."

"Oh, cool! Thank you, boss."

"You are welcome. Good night. I'll be outside until midnight. If you want to sleep before then, let one of the boys know—I assume you would have, without my asking—and they'll call me so I can watch you." Slenderman said.

Joyce nodded and said, "Good night." She was at his door when she recalled something from Dorothea's story. Joyce turned around and asked, "S—" She caught herself immediately. She knew it would be a bad idea to call him _'sir'_ when talking about Dorothea and made a strong mental note to never call him _'sir',_ ever. "—Boss?"

"Yes, Joyce?" Slenderman moved his head a bit.

"Did you let the wreath Dorothea gave you wilt? Or did you preserve it, somehow?" Joyce received no answer for a dreadfully short amount of time.

"I hung it on my front door and gave it special water so that the flowers would bloom a month longer. After the attack that night, I cast a spell on the wreath so the flowers would never wilt. I keep it as the centerpiece of my garden, in the archway of the gazebo. I should take you there, tomorrow. I will likely do so in the evening, so you can catch the fairies and talk to them."

"You might even win the hearts of the gnomes. That would be nice. I have not seen them since I loved Loren. He was wonderful, too. The only other person I loved. I will likely tell you his story tomorrow, too."

Joyce then understood that Slenderman had many, _many_ stories to tell. She was in awe of how good his memory was. She remembered her feelings about Slenderman from a teenager and compared them to how she felt about him, now. She had more admiration and interest in him now than before. She easily reminded herself that she had a tough job and that Slenderman likely would not fall in love with her.

For the sake of her longevity, because of Dorothea's story and the mystery of Loren's relationship with him, Joyce hoped he wouldn't. Her thoughts barely brought up _'what if...'_ , when they were interrupted by a sudden realization of how long she had been standing there. "U-Uh, that would be nice, boss. I will look forward to those stories so I can learn more about this place, and probably about you, too. Uh, goodnight."

Very quietly, Slenderman sighed. His shoulders hardly moved. "Goodnight." Joyce left his bedroom. She glanced at Smile as she walked through the darkened living room. The kitchen light was on, so the area wasn't pitch dark. The dog was fast asleep. His demonic face didn't look so scary, like that.


End file.
